Method of making shoes



Feb. 17, 1942. w. w. PRICHARD I 2,273,374

' METHOD of MAKING SHOES Filed Sept. 17, 1938 :5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Figl Z8 Feb. 17, 1942. w, w, PRICHARD 2,273,374

METHOD OF MAKING SHOES Filed Sept. 17, 1938' 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 17, 1942. w. w. PRICHARD 2,273,374

METHOD OF MAKING SHOES 4 Q Filed Sept. 17, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig.8

A/I/Z/VTU/F Patented Feb. 17, 1942 a FFEQE RKE'LHGD (2F REAEZENG SERGE?) Wiiiiam W. Prichard, Marblehead, Mass, assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation,

liiorough of Flernington, N. 3., a corporation or" New Jersey 6 Ciaiins,

This invention relates to shoes and methods of making shoes and is illustrated herein with reference to shoes having short outsoles arranged to interengage with the heels on the shoes.

In a shoe of the type referred to the outsole extends only a short distance rearwardly of the heel breast line of the shoe and is adapted to interengage with a heel having a slot or groove across the upper portion of its breast and having a forwardly projecting lip arranged to overlie the rear portion of the outsole. In cement attaching an outsole of this type with cement such as pyroxylin, which must be activated by a solvent just before pressure is applied to the shoe and sole, a problem arises in maintaining the shoe and outsole in their proper relative positions While the solvent is being applied to the outsole and While the shoe and outsole are being mounted in a sole attaching press preparatory to receiving pressure.

This problem exists because the outsole is too short to permit its rear portion to be temporarily secured to the shoe bottom, which is the usual practice when a press having no sole and shoe positioning gages is utilized to attach the outsole, and the outsole is also too short to be 10- cated and maintained in position on the pad of a press provided with positioning gages, the heel sole gage of which is arranged to engage a hole in the heel portion of the outsole located a considerable distance rearwarolly of its heel breast line.

An object of the present invention is to overcome the above difiiculties in a simple, efficient and economical manner.

To the attainment of this object the invention provides, in accordance with one aspect, an improved outsole which extends a short distance rearwardly of the heel breast line of the shoe and has formed therein a transverse cut or incision located rearwardly of said heel breast line. As herein illustrated, the incision is of sufiicient depth nearly to sever the rear portion of the out sole from its forward portion, thereby producing a frangible connection between said portions, the incision being preferably made through the tread or grain surface of the outsole.

Another feature of this invention relates to a method of attaching an outsole, such for example as the one just described, to a shoe. The outsole to be used is coated on its attaching surface with cement which is allowed to dry and the outsole is then positioned relatively to the shoe bottom after which the portion of the outsole rearwardly of said incision is secured to a corresponding portion of the shoe bottom to hold the rear portion of the outsole against displacement or bodily movement relatively to the shoe bottom, thereby establishing the relative positions of the outsole and shoe. By securing the rearward portion of the outsole against bodily movement longitudinally and laterally relatively to the shoe bottom, the operator is enabled to raise the forward portion of the outsole away from the shoe bottom, apply solvent thereto to activate the ocment, and return the outsole into engagement with the shoe bottom without losing the previously established position of the outsole relatively to the shoe bottom.

As herein illustrated, the portion of the outsole rearwardly of the incision may be secured against movement relatively to the shoe bottom by fastening means such as a tack or tacks, staples or fiber fastenings. Moreover, when the outsole is to be attached to the shoe with the aid of a sole attaching press provided with sole and shoe positioning gages, the rear portion of the outsole may be maintained against undesired movement relatively to the shoe bottom prior to the sole attaching operation by the sole heel gage of the press.

After the outsole has been permanently at tached to the shoe bottom the portionof the outsole rearwardly of the frangible connection or incision may be removed from the shoe bottom by withdrawing the fastening means, if used, and by tearing or cutting through the remainder of the outsole along said incision, thereby preparing the heel portion of the shoe for the attachment of a heel of the type referred to above.

With the above and other objects and features in view, the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings and will thereafter be pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an angular view of one form of outsole which may be used in practicing the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation partly in section of a shoe with the outsole positioned thereon and its rear portion secured to the shoe bottom;

Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 2 showing solvent being applied to the outsole;

Fig. 4 shows the outsole and shoe under pressure in a sole attaching press having no sole and shoe positioning gages thereon;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the outsole and shoe mounted on the pad of a sole attaching press provided with sole and shoe positioning gages;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the heel portion of the shoe in the sole attaching press of Fig. 5, with parts shown in section;

Fig. '7 is a perspective view of the rear portion of the shoe with the outsole attached and the heel portion thereof being removed.

Fig. 8 is a side elevation partly in section of the rear portion of the shoe with a heel attached thereto;

Fig. 9 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the heel portion of a shoe having a modified form of outsole positioned thereon with its rear portion attached to the shoe bottom;

Fig. 10 is a plan view of the shoe shown in Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the heel portion of a shoe having an outsole similar to that of Fig. 9 mounted thereon but with its rear portion attached to the shoe bottom in a different manner;

Fig. 12 is a plan view of the shoe shown in Fig. 11 illustrating how the attachment of the rear portion of the outsole to the shoe bottom may be broken; and

Fig. 13 is a plan view similar to Fig. 12, after the rear portion of the outsole has been removed.

In practicing the method of the present invention, in accordance with one mode of procedure, a full length outsole is provided having a hole 22 formed through its heel portion 24 substantially on the longitudinal median line of the outsole. An incision 26 is cut transversely across the outsole a short distance rearwardly of the position 0 corresponding to the heel breast line of a shoe to which the outsole is to be attached, the position of the heel breast line being indicated by the broken line 28 in Fig. 1. The incision 26 is of such depth that it does not quite sever the rear end portion 24 of the outsole from its forward portion thereby producing a frangible connection between the forward and rearward portions of the outsole, and the incision is preferably, although not necessarily, cut through the outer or tread surfac of the outsole. The outsole 20 i to be attached to the shoe bottom by cement such, for example, as pyroxylin cement and, accordingly, after the transverse incision 26 has been out the inner surface of the outsole is coated around its marginal portion with pyroxylin cement which is allowed to dry.

The outsole 20, prepared as described above, is placed on the bottom of a shoe 30 mounted on a last 32, the shoe comprising upper materials 34 and an insole 36, the upper materials at the heel portion of the shoe being secured in overlasted position by tacks 38 which are clinched by a clinching plate 40 on the heel portion of the last.

In mounting the outsole on the bottom of the shoe, or vice versa, these members are located by the operator in the position they are to assume when they are permanently attached together and, while maintaining the members in this position, the operator removably secures the heel end portion of the outsole, rearwardly of the frangible connection or incision 26, to the shoe bottom by fastening means, illustrated in Fig. 2 as a tack 42, located substantially on the median line of the outsole, thereby holding the outsole against bodily movement either laterally or longitudinally of the shoe bottom. Instead of a single tack, however, the heel portion 24 of the outsole may be secured to the shoe bottom by a plurality of tacks located at opposite sides of the longitudinal median line of the outsole which will prevent the outsole from pivoting laterally of the shoe bottom as well as from moving longitudinally thereof. By securing the heel portion 24 of the outsole to the shoe bottom in the manner de- F scribed, the position of the outsole relatively to the shoe bottom is established so that the forepart of the outsole may be moved away from the shoe bottom without losing its previously established position relatively thereto.

The next operation in the method herein disclosed is to attach the outsole permanently to the shoe bottom. The cement on the inner surface of the outsole 2?] is activated preparatory to attaching the outsole and this is accomplished, as shown in Fig. 3, by raising the forward portion of the outsole away from the shoe bottom and applying a solvent to the cement with the aid of a brush 44 or other suitable implement. The outsole is then returned into engagement with the shoe bottom in the position that was previously established by securing the rear end portion 24 of the outsole against bodily movement relatively to the shoe bottom. If a single tack were used for this purpose th operator may shift or swing the forward portion of the outsole laterally of the shoe bottom, if necessary, until it is located in a proper position widthwise of the shoe. The outsol and shoe are now mounted in a sole attaching press 46, which may be one of the so called gageless type of presses having no sole and shoe positioning mechanism thereon such, for example, as the press disclosed in Letters Patent of the United States No. 2,098,773, granted November 9, 1937, on an application filed in the name of William C. Card, Jr. As disclosed in the patent mentioned, the press 46 is provided with abutments 48 and 50 for engaging respectively the toe portion of the shoe 30 and the heel portion of the last 32 and it is also provided with an inflatable pad 52 which may be inflated through a pipe 54 to apply the sole attaching pressure to the shoe and sole.

If it is desired to attach the sole to the shoe bottom with the aid of a sole attaching press provided with sole and shoe positioning gages such, for example, as a press of the type disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,047,185, granted July 14, 1936, on an application filed in the name of Milton H. Ballard et al., the heel end portion 24 of the outsole need not be secured to the shoe bottom in the manner described above but the outsole 20 may be mounted on the pad 56 of the sole attaching press, as shown in Fig. 5, after the cement on the outsole has been activated and before the shoe 30 has been placed thereon. The heel end portion of the outsole is positioned relatively to the pad 56 by the operator and a sole gage which, as shown in the Ballard et al. patent, comprises a tongue 58 provided at its forward end with a downwardly projecting pin 60 arranged to enter the hole 22 in the heel portion of the outsole, is utilized to prevent the outsole from being displaced relatively to the shoe after the outsole has been positioned relatively to the shoe bottom. The forepart of the outsole is positioned by forepart gages indicated in Fig. 5 by the reference numerals 62 and 64. These gages, as disclosed in the Ballard et al. patent, are arranged to engage the opposite edge faces of the forepart of the outsole 2i] and then become locked. The forepart gages 62 and 64 carry shoe positioning gages 66 and 68 which, through the locking of the sole gages, determine the position of the forepart of the shoe relatively to the outsole. After the forepart gages have become locked the shoe 3! is mounted on the outsole and a substantially V-shaped heel shoe gage 10 is moved forwardly into engagement with the heel portion of the shoe. The heel positioning mechanism is so arranged that, after the gage It is moved into engagement with the shoe, the sole gage 58 is automatically shifted laterally of the pad a suficient amount to move the sole into proper transverse alinement with the heel portion of the shoe bottom. In this way an outsole 20, prepared as described above and as illustrated in Fig. 1, may be utilized with either a sole attaching press having no sole and shoe positioning mechanism thereon. or With a sole attaching press provided with sole and shoe positioning mechanism of the type referred to. Fig. 6 shows the heel portion of the shoe mounted in the sole attaching press of Fig. after the heel gages 53 and ll! have positioned the outsole and shoe relatively to each other on the pad After the outsole has been permanently attached to the shoe bottom, the rear or heel por tion 24 must be removed preparatory to attaching a heel. This may usually be accomplished, as shown in Fig. 7, by tearing the portion 24 from the forward portion of the outsole along the incision 255. If the incision is not deep enough to permit tearing the portion 24 from the forward portion of the outsole, the incision may be cut deeper to sever the two portions of the outsole. Fig. '7 shows the shoe with the out sole attached and a usual shank stiffener 12 projecting rearwardly of the outsole after the rearward portion 24 has been removed.

A heel which is adapted for use with a short outsole of the type herein disclosed forms the subject-matter of United States Letters Patent No. 2,121,172, granted June 21, 1938, on an application filed in the name of Fred C. Lovejoy. A heel M of this type is provided across the upper portion of its breast with a channel or groove 16 (Fig. 8) for receiving the rear portion of the short outsole 2d. The heel is also provided with a reinforcing lip 13 which projects forwardly from the upper end of the breast of the heel and is arranged to overlie the rear portion of the outsole in the finished shoe. This interengaging relation of the heel and outsole produces an accurate and durable joint between these two members which will not open up from the constant flexing of the shoe during wear. The heel seat portion of the shoe is prepared for receiving the heel by the application of the necessary amount of filler material 88, as shown in Fig. 8.

It may be desirable, for the sake of economy, to use a shorter outsole than that shown in Fig. l in practicing the method. Fig. 9 shows an outsole 82 which extends only a short distance rearwardly of the heel breast line of a shoe 8 2, the rear portion of the outsole being indicated by the numeral 85 and the position of the heel breast line being indicated by the broken line ilii. The outsole 82 is provided with a transverse incision forming a frangible connection E53 located rearwardly of its heel breast line but also located a sufficient distance forwardly of the back edge of the outsole topermit a tack or tacks 90 to be inserted through its rear portion 85 to hold the outsole in the position in which it was located by the operator, that is, to hold it against bodily movement longitudinally and laterally of the shoe bottom and thereby to establish this position to permit the forward portion of the outsole to be I raised in the manner shown by the dotted line 5. 2 to allow solvent to be applied to the cement on the inner surface of the outsole. Fig. 18 is a plan view of the bottom of th shoe after the outsole 82 has been positioned thereon and the tacks $33 ill have been inserted in the portion rearwardly of the incision 88 to establish the relative positions of the shoe and outsole. After the outsole has been permanently attached to the shoe bottom by cement the tacks til may be withdrawn and the portion 85 of the outsole rearwardly of the incision d8 removed in the manner described above, thereby preparing the shoe for the reception of a heel of the type illustrated in Fig. 8.

A still further procedure falling within the scope of the invention is illustrated in Figs. 11 to 13, inclusive, in which a short outsole 93 of the type illustrated in Fig. 9 and provided with a transverse incision M located forwardly of its rear portion 95, is secured to the bottom of a shoe 96 by fiber fastenings 98 preferably located at opposite sides of the longitudinal median line of he shoe bottom between the incision 94 and the rear edge of the outsole. After the outsole 93 has been cement attached to the shoe bottom forwardly of the incision 34, the fiber fastenings 98 may be severed with a knife I68, as shown in Fig. 12, to permit removal of the portion 95 of the outsole rearwardly of the incision 94. Fig. 13 shows the shoe bottom after the rear portion es of the outsole has been removed. Filler material may now be applied to the heel seat portion of the shoe bottom inwardly of the overlasted upper materials and a heel of the type illustrated in Fig. 8 may be attached to complete the construction of the shoe.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. Tiat improvement in methods of making shoes which comprises providing an outsole having a frangible connection between its forward and rearward portions rearwardly of the heel breast line of the outsole, positioning the outsole relatively to a shoe bottom, holding the portion of the outsole rearwardly of said connection against bodily movement relatively to the shoe bottom, thereby establishing the relative positions of the outsole and shoe, permanently attaching the outsole to the shoe in the relative positions thus established, and removing the portion of the outsole rearwardly of said frangible connection.

2. That improvement in methods of making shoes which comprises, providing an outsole having an incision transversely of the outsole rearwardly of its heel breast line, positioning the outsole relatively to a shoe bottom, holding the outsole rearwardly of said incision against bodily movement out of its position relatively to the shoe bottom, thereby establishing the relative positions of the outsole and shoe, permanently attaching the outsole to the shoe bottom, and tearing the outsole along said incision to remove the portion thereof rearwardly of the incision 3. That improvement in methods of making shoes which comprises, providing a full length outsole having an opening therein located rearwardly of its heel breast line, positioning the outsole relatively to the bottom of a shoe, holding the portion of the outsole rearwardly of said opening against bodily movement relatively to the corresponding portion of the shoe bottom by engaging said opening, thereby establishing the relative positions of the outsole and shoe, permanently attaching the outsole forwardly of the heel breast line to the shoe bottom, and removing the entire rear portion of said outsole from the shoe bottom along a line extending transversely across the full width of the outsole.

4. That improvement in methods of making shoes which comprises, providing a full length outsole having an incision extending across said outsole rearwardly of its heel breast line, positioning said outsole relatively to a shoe bottom, removably securing the portion of the outsole rearwardly of said incision to the shoe bottom by one or more tacks, thereby establishing the relative positions of the outsole and shoe, permanently attaching the portion of the outsole forwardly of its heel breast line to the shoe bottom, withdrawing said tack or tacks, and removing the portion of the outsole rearwardly of the incision by continuing said incision completely through the outsole.

5. That improvement in methods of making shoes which comprises, providing an outsole which extends at least rearwardly of the heel breast line of a shoe and has an incision extending transversely thereof located rearwardly of said heel breast line, positioning the outsole relatively to a shoe bottom, attaching the portion of the outsole rearwardly of said incision to the shOe bottom by fibre fastenings, thereby establishing the relative positions of the outsole and shoe, permanently attaching the portion of the outsole forwardly of its heel breast line to the shoe bottom, severing said fibre fastenings between the outsole and the shoe bottom, thereby breaking the attachment of the rear portion of the outsole to the shoe bottom, and removing said rear portion of the outsole from the shoe bottom.

6. An improved article of manufacture comprising a short outsole adapted for interengagement with a breast-lock heel, said outsole extending only a short distance rearwardly of the heel breast line of a shoe and terminating in a straight edge face extending widthwise of the outsole, said outsole having a transverse incision therein extending substantially parallel to its rear edge face which nearly separates the outsole into two parts, said incision being spaced rearwardly of the heel breast line a distance approximately equal to the depth of the slot in the breast-lock heel to be used in cooperation with it.

WILLIAM W. PRICHARD. 

